Corsets, girdles and like garments



1963 B. M. WILLIAMS 3,113,572

CORSETS, GIRDLES AND LIKE GARMENTS FiledMarch 4, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1M/l/EA/TOR 357W Mm W1 A 04/144" M (YMMM 4 TTOR/VE Y Dec. 10, 1963 a M.WILLIAMS CORSETS, GIRDLES AND LIKE GARMENTS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed MarQh4, 1961 A TTORA/E United States Patent 3,113,572 GGRSETS, GRDLES ANDLHQE GARIWENTS Betty May Williams, Conrtlands, Maidenhead, England,

assignor to Berlei (U.K.) Limited, Slough, England, a

British company Filed May 4, 1961, Ser. No. 167,8il2 Claims priority,application Great Britain May 12, 1969 4 Claims. (Cl. 123-528) Thisinvention relates to corsets, girdles and like bodyencircling foundationgarments for Women.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofconstruction of the front or abdomen-supporting region of such garmentsas will afford smooth and firm support for the abdomen and which willexert a desirable lifting and flattening effect upon the body contour.

In accordance with the invention, a foundation garment for womencomprises a front abdomen-supporting panel and a body-encircling partadapted to pass around the back of the wearer, wherein the front panelcomprises mutually symmetrical left-hand and right-hand sections eachjoined to the body-encircling par-t, each of said sections comprising aninner and an outer layer of a fabric which is substantially inextensiblein both warp and weft directions, the fabric layers of one section beingjoined to each other and to the fabric layers of the other section alonga vertical seaming line disposed centrally of the front panel, therespective lower edges of the fabric layers of each section beingunconnected and oppositely inclined with respect to the horizontal andsubstantially parallel with one of said warp and weft directions and oneof the fabric layers of each section being joined to the adjacentforward side edge of the body-encircling part of the garment over agreater distance than the other fabric layer of the same section of thefront panel.

The respective inner and outer fabric layers of each front panel sectionmay be formed as two separate appropriately shaped and overlaid pieces,all four pieces of the two sections being joined down the centralseaming line, but in an alternative and preferred construction eachsection is formed as one piece of material folded back upon itself at anappropriate angle with respect to the weave of the material and thenjoined to the opposite section by stitching along or closely parallel tothe fold line.

In order that the nature of the invention may be more readilyunderstood, a number of different constructional embodiments will now bedescribed by way of illustrative example only and With reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational View of a corset embodying theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-section taken on the line IIII of FIG.1, drawn to an enlarged scale and with the fabric thickness dimensionsexaggerated for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a similarly enlarged and exaggerated section, taken on theline lIiIII of FIG.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-section, similar to FIG. 2, showing onemodified manner of construction;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross-section, again similar to FIG. 2,showing another modified manner of construction;

FIGURE 6 shows the preferred shape of a fabric piece for forming one ofthe front panel sections of the corset shown in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of garment inaccordance with the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of another possible modification inaccordance with the invention; While FIGURES 9 and 10 are largelydiagrammatic perspective views showing application of the invention toother forms of corset garment.

Referring first to FIG. 1, the corset garment shown comprises a frontpanel construction in accordance with the invention and indicatedgenerally at 10, associated with a body-encircling part indicatedgenerally at 11 which passes around the back of the wearer. As shown,such part 11 is in the form of a single piece 12 of elastic materialhaving a two-way stretch characteristic as indicated by the symbols 13and provided around its uppermost edge, lying approximately at thewearers Waist line, with a band 14 of elastic material stretchable inthe circumferential or horizontal direction of the arrow symbols 15 butsubstantially non-elastic in the vertical direction.

The precise form of such body-encircling part 12 is not of majorimportance provided it affords two mutually opposed forward side edgesas indicated at 16 and 17 for attachment to the opposite sides of thefront panel 10. Such body-encircling part 12 may comprise a number ofseparate but interconnected panels such as side and back panels, and beformed of materials of various elastic/nonelastic characteristics.

The front panel ll} is formed with leftand right-hand symmetricalsections 18, 1% comprising respectively outer fabric layers 18a, 19a andoverlying fabric layers 18b, 19b. The lower edges 26 of the respectiveouter fabric layers 13a, 1% are inclined upwardly from the lowest point21 of a central vertical seaming line 22, which unites the two panelsections, to points 23 on the respective side edges 16, 1'7 lying in thevicinity of the wearers groin line. The lower edges 24 of the respectiveinner fabric layers 18b, 1% are inclined, at an angle to the horizontalwhich corresponds with that of the edges 2%, downwardly from the centrepoint 21 to the lower end of the respective side edges 16, 17. The loweredge 26 of one outer fabric layer 18a, 19a is accordingly substantiallyaligned with the lower edge 24 of the inner fabric layer 19b, 18b of theopposite panel section. The angle between the two edges 29, 24 isconveniently of the order of 4()55, divided equally above and below thehorizontal.

The outermost edges of the overlying fabric layers 18a, 18b and 19a, 19bof the respective panel sections 18 and 19 are each firmly secured, asby stitching 25 and preferably with a supporting inside tape facing, tothe adjacent forward side edge 16 or 17 of the body-encircling part 11,whereby the inner fabric layers 13b, 1% are secured to the whole lengthof the adjacent side edges 16 or 17, whereas the outer fabric layers18a, lilo are secured to only a part of such edges 16, 17. Therespective pairs of outer and inner fabric layers 18a, 18b and 19a, 1%are similarly firmly united with one another along the top edge 26 ofthe panel by stitching 2'7 but the lower edges Zil of the outer fabriclayers 18a, 19a, although turned and stitched to supporting tape asshown in FIG. 3, are left completely free from connection with theunderlying inner layers 13b, 19b except at the centre point 21 and theouter end points 23.

The fabric employed for the layers 13a, 18b and 1.9a, 1% is ofnon-extensible character in its warp and weft directions which arearranged, as indicated by the markings 28, to lie one parallel with andthe other at right angles to the related lower edges 28 and 24.

In a preferred manner of construction, the inner and outer layers 18a,18b, of the panel section 18 are formed of one piece of material of theshape shown in FIG. 6 which is then folded back upon itself along thecentre line 29. The inner and outer layers 19a, 19b of the oppositesection 1h are similarly formed of another single piece of material of,of course, the opposite hand or orientation. The two folded pieces arethen laid face to face and joined by a line of stitching close to thealigned folded edges as shown at 36 in FIG. 2. The pieces are thenopened out, the fold edges laid back and, after covering with a backingtape 31, the whole is firmly secured by further lines of stitching 32.The latter may conveniently be of ornamental character as indicated at33 in FIG. 1.

In a slightly modified construction, the respective layers 18a, 18b ofthe panel section 18 and the layers 19a, 19b of the panel section 19 areagain made from fabric pieces similar to FIG. 6, each folded back uponitself as described above. Such two pieces are, however, initiallyjoined by a line of stitching down their common and cligned fold linesas shown at 34 in FIG. 4 before actual folding. A backing tape 31 isthen applied and the seaming completed by further stitching 32.

In yet another alternative form of construction, each of the layerportions 18a, 18b, 1%, 19b is made as a separate fabric piece ofappropriate shape. The four pieces are then joined initially by a lineof stitching, as shown at 35 in FIG. 5. The marginal edges are thenturned back and, after application of a backing tape 31, secured byfurther lines of stitching 32.

As already indicated, the front panel construction of the invention maybe applied to various types of bodyencircling garments includingfoundation garments and pantie garments with suitable modification asnecessary. FIG. 7 indicates one possible modification of the upper edgeof the front panel 16 to provide a dipped or lower central region 36.FIG. 8 shows a further modification in the application of the inventionto a pantie garment. In this modification, the respective lower edges 24of the inner front panel layers 11%, 1% are shortened by the connectionof the outer ends thereof to the marginal web members 37 of a crotchpart 38 which later is itself also connected at the front of the garmentto such lower edges 24.

The relative dimensions of the parts forming the front panel 19 may bealtered as necessary to accord with the type or style of garment. Thus,as shown in FIG. 9, the panel may be long and narrow in the case of anextended length garment for a slim figure or, as shown in FIG. 10,comparatively short and wide in the case of a shortened length garmentfor a stouter figure. In some instances, particularly in larger sizes orwhere maximum figure control is desired, the respective layers 18a, 18b,19a, 1912 may be of two or more ply materials. In one example, a normalclose woven material is used for the inner ply of each of the layers18a, 19a. This is faced upon its outward side with a more open net formmaterial which may be figured or otherwise decorated. If the method ofconstruction described in connection with FIGS. 2 or 4 is employed, suchnet-form material becomes the inwardly facing ply of the layers 18b,19b. The warp/weft directions of the two or more plies are preferablythe same and as described above for single ply material.

The various garments may be provided with any of the conventionalfitments or adaptations according to requirements, such as, forinstance, suspender connections as shown at 4%}, zip fastener or hookand eye con trolled openings as indicated at 41, stiffening ribs asshown at 42 and/or faced with elastic faced surfaces as indicated at 43.

I claim:

1. A foundation garment for women, comprising a front abdomen-supportingpanel having opposed sideedges and a body-encircling part having forwardside edges adapted to pass around the back of the wearer, wherein thefront panel extends substantially along the height of the garment andcomprises mutually symmetrical left-hand and righthand sections eachjoined to the bodyencircling part, each of said sections comprising aninner and an outer layer of a fabric which is substantially inextensiblein both warp and weft directions, the fabric layers of one section beingjoined to each other and to the fabric layers of the other section alonga vertical seaming line disposed centrally of the front panel, the loweredges of the fabric layers of each section being unconnected andoppositely inclined with respect to the horizontal and substantiallyparallel with one of said warp and weft directions, and one of thefabric layers of each section being joined to the adjacent forward sideedge of the body-encircling part of the garment over a greater distancethan the other fabric layer of the same section of the front panel.

2. A foundation garment for women, comprising a front abdomen-supportingpanel having opposed side edges and a body-encircling part havingforward side edges adapted to pass around the back of the wearer,wherein the front panel extends substantially along the height of thegarment and comprises mutually symmetrical left-hand and right-handsections each joined to the body-encircling part, each of said sectionscomprising an inner and an outer layer of a fabric which issubstantially inextensible in both warp and weft directions, the fabriclayers of one section being joined to each other and to the fabriclayers of the other section along a vertical seaming line disposedcentrally of the front panel, the respective lower edges of the fabriclayers of each section being unconnected and oppositely inclined withrespect to the horizontal and substantially parallel with one of saidwarp and weft directions, the lower edge of the outer fabric layer ofeach section each being in substantial alignment with the lower edge ofthe inner fabric layer of the other section, and one of the fabriclayers of each section being joined to the adjacent forward side edge ofthe body-encircling part of the garment over a greater distance than theother fabric layer of the same section of the front panel.

3. A foundation garment for women, comprising a front abdomen-supportingpanel having opposed side edges and a body-encircling part havingforward side edges adapted to pass around the back of the wearer,wherein the front panel extends substantially along the height of thegarment and comprises mutually symmetrical left-hand and right-handsections each joined to the body-encircling part, each of said sectionscomprising an inner and an outer layer of a fabric which issubstantially inextensible in both warp and weft directions, the fabriclayers of one section being joined to each other and to the fabriclayers of the other section along a vertical seaming line disposedcentrally of the front panel, the respective lower edges of the fabriclayers of each section being unconnected and oppositely inclined withrespect to the horizontal and substantially parallel with one of saidwarp and weft directions, the respective lower edges of the outer fabriclayer of each section each being in substantial alignment with the loweredge of the inner fabric layer of the other section, one of the fabriclayers of each section being joined to the adjacent forward side edge ofthe body-encircling part of the garment over a greater distance than theother fabric layer of the same section of the front panel, and the loweredge of said other fabric layer having a point of connection with saidadjacent forward side edge of the body-encircling part which ispositioned to lie in the vicinity of the groin line of the wearer.

4. A foundation garment for women, comprising a front abdomen-supportingpanel having opposed side edges at which such panel is joined to therespective one of the opposed forward side edges of a body-encirclingpart of two-way stretch characteristic comprising the remainder of thegarment and adapted to pass around the back of the wearer, said frontabdomen-supporting panel comprising a left-hand section joined to oneforward side edge of the body-encircling part and a righthand sectionsymmetrical with said left-hand section and joined to the other forwardside edge of the body-encircling part, each of said sections comprisingan inner fabric layer and an outer fabric layer eacn layer containing atleast two fabric plies the outermost ply of which is of lightweight notmaterial, each of the plies of each of the fabric layers of the sectionsbeing formed of a single piece of textile material which issubstantially inextensible in both of the Warp and weft directionsthereof and which is folded back upon itself along a vertical foldingand seaming line disposed centrally of the front panel, the left-handpanel section being joined to the ri ht-hand panel seaming along saidvertical folding and seaming line, the respective lower edges of thefabric lay ers of each section being oppositely and substantiallyequally inclined to the horizontal at an inclined angle within the rangeof 40 to 55, the lower edges of the respective fabric layers of thepanel sections each being substantially parallel with one of the Warpand Weft directions thereby to dispose the Warp and weft directions ofone fabric layer of each section at said angle within the range of 40 to55 to the warp and weft directions of the other fabric layer of the samesection, the respective lower edges of the outer fabric layer of eachsection each being substantially aligned with the lower edge of theinner fabric layer of the other section, the inner fabric layer of eachsection being joined to the adjacent forward side edge of thebodyencircling part over a greater distance than the outer fabric layerof the same section, and the lower edge of the outer fabric layer ofeach section having a point of connection with the adjacent forward sideedge of the body-encircling part which is positioned to lie in thevicinity of the groin line of the wearer.

References Liter in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,614,256 Searles Oct. 21, 1952 2,757,379 Stone Aug. 7, 1956 2,779,023Lax Jan. 29, 1957 2,875,766 Lobbenberg Mar. 3, 1959 2,966,912 MurdockJan. 3, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 205,948 Austria Oct. 26, 1959

1. A FOUNDATION GARMENT FOR WOMEN, COMPRISING A FRONT ABDOMEN-SUPPORTINGPANEL HAVING OPPOSED SIDEEDGES AND A BODY-ENCIRCLING PART HAVING FORWARDSIDE EDGES ADAPTED TO PASS AROUND THE BACK OF THE WEARER, WHEREIN THEFRONT PANEL EXTENDS SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG THE HEIGHT OF THE GARMENT ANDCOMPRISES MUTUALLY SYMMETRICAL LEFT-HAND AND RIGHT-HAND SECTIONS EACHJOINED TO THE BODYENCIRCLING PART, EACH OF SAID SECTIONS COMPRISING ANINNER AND AN OUTER LAYER OF A FABRIC WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY INEXTENSIBLEIN BOTH WARP AND WEFT DIRECTIONS, THE FABRIC LAYERS OF ONE SECTION BEINGJOINED TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE FABRIC LAYERS OF THE OTHER SECTION ALONGA VERTICAL